Blood samples are examined via flow cytometry and skin testing is performed to evaluate immune response.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of stage III melanoma

Has undergone therapeutic lymphadenectomy

More than 1 lymph node involvement or extracapsular extension of metastatic melanoma cells (stage N1b-N3 disease according to AJCC 2002)

HLA type A1 and/or A2 or A3 (if autologous tumor lysate is available)

No presence of distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

No other malignancy

No evidence of lung, heart, liver, or renal failure or severe neurologic disorder

No autoimmune disease or atopic allergy

No HIV infection or presence of anti-HIV antibodies

No presence of hepatitis B surface antigen or antibodies against hepatitis C virus

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01082198